Frostnip Symptoms

Frostnip is a milder form of injury that occurs due to cold weather conditions, and it can be reversed. However, prolonged exposure to cold can lead to its progression to a frostbite which may cause permanent damage to the tissues. It is therefore necessary to know its symptoms.

A frostnip is an injury of the skin tissue, mostly felt on the extremities such as the fingertips, toes, ears, chin, and cheeks. Its symptoms develop when the blood vessels narrow or contract due to the exposure to cold. The narrowing of blood vessels occurs once the moisture from the skin evaporates.

A strong wind can then be an added factor to lower the temperature of the outer layers of your skin. When the temperature drops to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, it begins to set in, as the temperature of the tissues begins to drop. It is called the beginning of a cold injury, as at this stage, the temperature of the outer layer of the skin begins to drop.

The next stage is frostbite, which is marked by the formation of ice crystals under the skin. It causes damage to the skin tissues.

There is one more condition you need to take notice of when learning about cold weather injuries, and that is hypothermia. It sets in when the body temperature falls below 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, a cold weather injury progresses from the outer layers of the skin to the inside, making it more severe.

It is therefore necessary to curb these symptoms at the frostnip stage.

Frostnip is not a very serious condition and therefore it is easy to take care of the symptoms.

• The initial phase is marked by pale skin, which is due to the blood vessels narrowing due to the cold.

• The next is numbness in the skin, which is due to the nerves being affected as a result of the cold. The numbness begins from the fingertips and toes.

• After numbness comes the tingling and burning sensation. Exposure to extremely cold conditions causes a burning pain that is further characterized by feelings of tingling and needles poking.
• The burning sensation then progresses into severe pain. Sometimes, you may also feel muscular pain in the hands and legs which only worsens if not taken care of.

There is only one way to treat a frostnip, and that is warming up, to get the body back to normal temperature. The first thing you have to do is, get out of the cold, to a warmer place. Soak the affected area in warm water.

You must only use warm water and not hot water. Immediate exposure to an extremely high temperature may also end up damaging the tissues. A warm drink is also soothing, to cure this condition.

Avoid rubbing the affected area to get warmth. The tissue is already fragile and rubbing may be another reason for tissue damage. A correct first aid treatment is an absolute necessity. Quick heating of the affected areas must be avoided. Therefore avoid using electric blankets, heating pads, or hot water.

Symptoms of frostnip are not very serious, and reversal of these is possible. These symptoms if untreated, may lead to frostbite, treating or reversing the symptoms of which is rather difficult.